Generations II: The Full Line Challenge [LORE][FINAL SCORES]

So, is anyone ready to get insane with me?

A couple years ago, I ran a thread called Generations, where companies submitted cars in chronologically succeeding rounds (starting in 1946 and ending in 1999). This was a LORE competition, and this successor will be as well. It served as a way for people to showcase and compete various cars against other players, and their companies against each other over time. For those (like myself) who needed a kick-start to their lore threads, it also served as motivation. This is a direct successor, thus:

  1. This will be a lore-heavy thread. ALL vehicle submissions MUST be from company lore.
  2. You MUST have a company lore thread in the car sharing forum to participate. I will be requiring a link to your lore thread with your first submission.
  3. Your submitted vehicle for each round must either already exist in your company’s lore thread, or be posted to it prior to the close of the round.
  4. Inter-company rivalries are strongly encouraged (like the Bogliq-Ardent rivalry that can be seen in other threads), as is lore RP in general. Company reactions, internal communications, etc. all play in to the flavor.
  5. Setting will be the United States, using historical socio-economic events to drive scoring. (ex: 1973 Oil Crisis, early 1980’s recession, 60’s counter-culture movements, etc.)
  6. I will complete and score rounds with reviews in the fictional “Motor Review World” magazine (yes, the very same one that Barry and Eve used in CSR67… man that was a long time ago!). There will be at least two “Best of” categories each round. They can be split between multiple vehicles, or one astounding vehicle can “mop up” the awards ceremony, so to speak. All submissions will get at least a pros-cons list, with the winners getting a more detailed review.
  7. Scoring will be a “relative rating” system for each round so that you have an idea of how your car compared overall, and your company cumulatively for the competition as well. This will be a mathematically based rating
  8. Ardent Motors will be submitting a vehicle each round as well, to serve somewhat as a benchmark. It WILL get a relative rating score, which means it influences the market. It CAN also win “best of” titles, but will never win them solo; instead, it will tie the runner up.

But Wait, There’s More!

Did I mention this is a FULL LINE challenge? That’s right… you’re not submitting ONE car per round, you are submitting THREE OR FOUR cars per round (though 3), depending on the round. This challenge is only for full-line manufacturers, not specialty or supercar manufacturers!

You will be submitting one car per category in each round, and as mentioned before, this will be between 3 and 4 total categories. The relative ratings for ALL vehicles will be run through a number cruncher, and an entire company’s relative rating will be spit out at the end. The vehicle categories are all weighted differently in this calculation, based on the importance of that category at the time. But don’t spend all your time making one great creation and churning out turds elsewhere, because your competition can still catch up!

This also means that the rounds are spaced farther apart. Previously I was running a 7 day turnaround. 14-ish will be the norm this time around, with longer rounds for the 4-car rounds.

Some rules, yo.

Competition starts in 1956, and there will be 3-6 years between rounds. The amount of time between will be rolled individually at the start of the new round. File naming format will be posted in each round’s initial post.

Import brands entering the country may enter 1 year before their official Lore entry to the States, in a limited capacity. (-10% Relative Rating, simulating independent importers rather than a dealer network)

Overall brand rules (may change before Round 1 starts):

  1. ALL vehicles MUST be branded under the originally used brand name with the exceptions listed in 2 and 3.
  2. Brands created by merger: One brand must be selected as the “lead” or “primary” brand. Submissions will only be accepted from that brand before the merger, and only by the new company after the merger. (Ex: Company A and B merged in 1956 to create Company X. Only A OR B can submit up to '56, only Company X after) (Real life example: Nash and Hudson, becoming AMC. Up until 1956, you could submit ONLY Nash OR Hudson, and '56 or later ONLY AMC.)
  3. Companies that are non majority investments (less than 50%): May have individual models used as “Captive Imports”. Vehicle must be branded, marketed, and sold as a product of the parent (original) company, and the Lore thread must make it clear this is a captive import, as well as which brand/model it is a copy of. (Real life example: If a player was playing Chevrolet, they could submit a Chevrolet Prizm from 1998 - 2002.)
  4. Sub-brands of a main company: May be used, but must either have their own (updated) lore thread, or the main lore thread must clearly explain the relationship AND contain the submissions as the competition progresses.
  5. Import groups (single player): If any company in the import group is distinctly separate, it requires its own lore thread.
  6. Import groups (multi-player): Same as above, but I also need to know upon registration who is controlling which company.

Fixtures/regulations: I will try to specify any new regulations for fixtures and/or equipment on vehicles at the start of each round. This will also include emissions and safety requirements in the later stages. So pay attention to the regulations at the beginning of each round!

Design: Design is highly subjective, and putting a points emphasis on things could really screw up and complicate the math, so I’m not going to be judging it… other than “no 3-fixture wonders”. You MUST build a car with at least the minimum fixtures required each round, and if you consistently put in ABSOLUTELY no effort, I might ding you. But I don’t want “2nd” and “3rd” tier designers to be discouraged from entering because they think they’re at a disadvantage, because they’re not.

Socioeconomic factors: Every round, I will give a snapshot of the current economic conditions as well as the short-term forecasts. As well, I will give one or more significant social trend or event, which may help you direct your designs.

Car categories (new): At the beginning of each round, I will specify the general categories of vehicles that will be graded/reviewed during the round. You may submit one car in any given category, and must specify which category it’s being submitted for. Think of your target audience before you submit, and may the odds be at least slightly in your favor!

Bonuses/penalties for reusing trims/engines: You can earn up to a 5% Relative Rating bonus in a round for reusing an existing design. Just don’t reuse for TOO long without major revamps, or your competition will overrun you.

Engine design outliers: I will not boot or ban any design for using specific equipment, but just know that if it’s too “weird” or “advanced” for market tastes, it’s not going to do well. You probably don’t want to use independent rears (unless you’re FWD), DOHC, or multivalve setups for the first 25-30 years.

Sliders: May be used. But do so sparingly, as making your ET and PU shoot up might make your design less attractive compared to competitors.

Number of companies: Once I open registration, it’s first come, first served. While I have not, at this time, set a limit on the number of companies, I do reserve the right to do so at any point in order to keep the workload “doable”.

COMPANY REGISTRATION IS CLOSED

To register: PM me that you’re entering, with which company, what country they are based in, and the lore thread for it. If you’re using a new company, start a lore thread with a placeholder post and send me the thread. If you happen to want to register as a lore group, please PM me all of the above plus your partner(s), which company they are using, and their lore thread as well.

Current round: COMPETITION HAS ENDED

List of companies entered:

VicVictory - Ardent Motors Corporation (Sub-brand Townsend until 1979, Captive Imports from Suzume 1974+)
DukeOFhazards - Charge Motors (Sub-brand CCM 1960-2010) ELIMINATED DUE TO INACTIVITY
thecarlover - Dominion Motors -> Royal Canadian Motors (Name change 1977) (Subbrands Mont Royal, Solo, Mosport, Cascadia)
mart1n2005 - Courageux Motor Company (Société de Moteur Courageux)
Mikonp7 - Deer and Hunt Automotive (Subbrands Bambi and STAG)
lddrs - Rocha Motor Company
FitRS - Katsuro Motor Company Ltd
Arn38fr - Watson Motors ELIMINATED DUE TO INACTIVITY
patridam - Earl Motor Company (Sub-brands: Silverhare, Hirondelle, Steed)
Elizipeazie - Anhultz Automobile Manufacturing -> Anhultz Automotive Holdings Ltd. (name change 1976) (Sub-brand: Keika 1977+) WITHDRAWN
vri404 - Valence Automobiles of America (sub-brands: Strig 1987+, Hades 1990+) WITHDRAWN
Rise_Comics - Platinum Motors ELIMINATED DUE TO INACTIVITY
ProfessorP3PP3R - Silver-York ELIMINATED DUE TO INACTIVITY
abg7 - Hampton Motor Group
interior - Hakumai Autos Incorporated - Founded 1972

FINAL OVERALL RANKINGS FOR GENERATIONS 2: THE FULL LINE CHALLENGE

Earl/Silverhare/Hirondelle - 95.94
Hampton - 91.20
Katsuro - 86.66
Bogliq - 85.90
Anhultz - 85.64 (WITHDRAWN, SCORE FROZEN)
Ardent - 80.26
Dominion/RCM - 79.41
Rocha - 76.64
Courageux - 72.78
Deer and Hunt - 66.29
Valence - 62.31 (WITHDRAWN, SCORE FROZEN)
Hakumai - 58.94 (JOINED IN ROUND 4)

15 Likes

As much as I enjoyed the last generations challenge, and I see where you’re coming from with the full line challenge, I’m afraid of the lasting power of a challenge that will ask for 3-6 fully fleshed out cars with lore every round. People ducked out of some rounds that only needed 1 car last time. I know not everyone needs to go this far but it would take me a couple weeks to get 1 round worth of cars together assuming the game has the bodies I need or close to it. Also what kind of categories are we talking? Is it like last time or is it in smaller groups? Some of them were very broad last time and sometimes people don’t want to have upscale and sports cars etc. under the same brand name. I’m looking forward to seeing how this goes though. I’d love to see more non CSR format challenges running.

(It’s a lot of work, but maybe more emphasis on the magazine aspect and less on the competing for high numbers might be more fun in the long run? Something to expand on the automationverse a bit and help with peoples lore?)

5 Likes

This is just the kind of motivation I need to finally create a company with some actual lore. Just how diverse are the car lines though? Could multiple trims of the same body be used to cover different segments? I don’t think I have enough spare time in 10-14 days to pull off 3-6 completely seperate cars

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Will this contest go even further by continuing into the 21st century, probably all the way to 2020?

Well, that may not stop a sports car manufacturer (or any other specialist) from entering if they are represented by at least three model lines each round.

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Question: will all of the participants wanting to take part in this have to start in 1946 in order to take part? Would it be possible for a company made after the starting point to participate?

The idea of this sounds really cool, but I think making 6 cars a time is a stretch. I know you are basing it in America but I don t know of many European brands that even made 6 cars in a lineup in the early 50’s

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The 1st Generations was probably the best challenge I ever entered. I’m in! At least I know building 4 full cars here will be worth it.

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God trying to build 3-6 cars for each lineup would be a absolute monster. I struggle now with the bodies available and thats after dedicating a year to a brand, in a couple of weeks I’d have no chance at all

3 Likes

I would also think that a Location Change would be good. Otherwise people probally gonna resubmit the Cars from the Last one

That’s assuming they still have them - but if they do, the game has changed so much in the two years since the last Generations tournament that some of them now either turn out differently in the latest UE4 build or, worse yet, are totally unworkable. Even so, I remain undecided as to whether or not entrants should even be able to use the same brands as they had entered in the original Generations tournament.

Hell yeah!!! I’m 100% willing to compete with Ardent again… I also need to re-do all my lore again so I think this’ll be really fun. :slight_smile:

But I also agree with CriticalSet9849; I’d rather have the round stretch over 3 weeks, rather than a fortnight. This will allow for polish without micromanagement and self-sabotage!!!

Abg7’s idea of brand new companies, just for the competition, could also make for an interesting spanner in the works, lol

But, regardless of what’s decided, I’m all in and excited to get back in the action!!! :sunglasses:

Your question is pretty close to Chickenbiscuit’s above, so I’ll roll the answer into one.

The segments are going to be very different from each other, and in nearly all cases, will require different bodies to fill them. Unlike last time, where I based the segment division off of who submitted what, this time I will be laying out the segments during the beginning of the round, and everyone will submit their cars based on that.

Depending on how things go, it’s entirely possible.

Considering pickup trucks will be a much bigger focus than sports cars, in order for a “sports car company” to compete, they will find themselves having to become a full-line manufacturer.

No. You can state what year you would like to join (presumably the lore start of your company) and I will notify you when the round you’re starting in comes up.

You’re not the only one to mention this, and after thinking about it overnight, I agree. However, there are times at which a large company’s product line gets quite diverse, and I still want to represent that. So I will change the figure to 3-4 per round, with the bulk of the rounds having 3. Also, instead of “10-14 days”, I’m leaning towards “14+ days” for a round.

Abg7’s answer to this is pretty accurate, IMO. For that matter, my entire library became “incompatible” over one of my recent hiatuses (hiatii?) and I lost my vehicle library. I just spent a few days getting most of my engines rebuilt and back in so I have less work to do. But even if we see some cars that are the same, the difference in the mechanics of the competition, plus different competitors, should make it distinct and challenging.

Keep the questions coming. :slight_smile: This is helping me form the idea more, and hopefully enticing potential competitors.

and @HighOctaneLove… Jack Chancellor’s coming for you again! :smiley:

4 Likes

Count Anhultz in!

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I think this is defo something I’d be up for, though not sure if I’d have the bulk to enter tbh :sweat_smile:

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Are we allowed to do Subbrands? What Lexus is for Toyota for example

I had an idea that might allow a specialty car maker to compete with the full-line manufacturers…

Allow multiple players to group together as an import company that brings in the separate brands to fill each niche!

You could also allow a single player to do the same thing; multiple brands but only the one submission.

This will have the benefit of mirroring real life as well as giving small lore-based companies a chance to compete… :thinking:

Just wondering, considering you’re expecting multiple cars per round, would we get 2-3 weeks to enter?

Also, would we be allowed to not submit something for one or more of the markets if our company just doesn’t have that vehicle? Some might feel better sacrificing some points rather than shoehorning a car into their lore that shouldn’t be there.

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This was answered in my previous response.

Yes. Any category you don’t submit in gets a 0, which will heavily impact your company’s overall score for the round.

It’s a somewhat intriguing thought, I’ll admit. One of my reasons, however, for trying to keep it to a “single brand” is to reduce the amount of lore-thread checking I need to do each week. I’m also trying to run this as a “Ford vs. Chevy vs. Dodge vs. AMC vs. hey, hypothetically some Japanese automakers came in big early on and stuck, as well as maybe an English company, an Italian one, etc.”

Which, of course, allowing that will mean that disallowing sub-brands in general would be pointless. And that, as much as anything, is administrative for me more than anything else.

I will have to think about that.

(This applies to Mikonp7’s question as well)

2 Likes

Cool, thanks!
Guess it’s time to join the discord again…

For potentially smaller companies that decide to not cover all segments, will there be scores kept by the end for things like “this company is the best at pickups” or “this one has made the best family-oriented cars” so that there’s an end goal even for people who would rather stick to their lore than to aim for the best overall end score?

If a company only gets judged by the total round score then there’s really no point for anyone who doesn’t want to be a Chevrolet or Toyota or something, but would rather be Subaru or Volvo.